Shows that came too close & finally ended

Abrupt ends marked television serials this year. On one hand some of the veteran serials were asked to wind up to pave way for new ones, others were pulled off for want of creativity and innovation. Here is a summary of the shows that bid good-bye to TV in 2005.

And 'finally' they came to an end

Kkusum
This Balaji production, touted as the pet show of Ekta Kapoor when it started off, dragged on for such a long time that viewers got completely fed up. Not only the viewers, even the actors of the serial had enough of it. The lead actress changed thrice from Nausheen Ali Sardar to Manasi Joshi Roy and finally Shilpa Saklani. The lead actor changed from Anuj Saxena to Rohit Roy and then back to Anuj Saxena! Nearly every character changed faces till the viewers were left clueless about the actual identity of the characters.

Yeh Meri Life Hai
Though YMLH launched quite a few new faces on the telly, it lost on its TRPs towards the end. What started off as an interesting concept of a Gujju girl dreaming of becoming a film director with Karan Johar as her idol, and trying to find her place in the elite crowd of St Martin's College, soon turned into the usual run-of-the-mill story about the heroine marrying into a rich family, having the mother-in-law as the perennial enemy and turning into the standard dutiful wife. Add an angle of a possessive husband, the "I will love you forever" boyfriend and a 'suspecting but realising her folly' sister and you have the humdrum story of Yeh Meri Life Hai.

There were no loose ends around them

Kareena Kareena
This was certainly a show with a difference. The protagonist of the serial was a bright and intelligent girl who gets her way out of sticky situations by lying and bluffing. A well-balanced mixture of comedy, emotions and drama made Kareena Kareena a hit show, not to forget the charming protagonist Kulraj Randhawa.

Kashish
Kashish was a bold and heart-warming story about a wife who walks out of a defunct marriage when her husband falls for her cousin sister. The fact that she starts her life afresh with a widower who gives her the affection and love she was longing for made for an innovative concept on television. The story didn't drag for long and ended with a logical climax. All in all, a good television soap.

Rihhaee
This was a weekly show that told about true-life incidents about crime against women. Set against the backdrop of a judicial organisation NCCW (National Commission for Crimes against Women), the protagonists were shown as members of the organisation trying to help women deal with problems like domestic violence, dowry harassment, alcoholism and abuse. The show about hope and justice for women ended after exploring various avenues about crimes against women.

Siddhanth
A social drama, Siddhanth was the story of a lawyer who was so accustomed to winning cases that he didn't realise his folly when his lie made an innocent girl commit suicide. The story then went on about the protagonist fighting tooth and nail for the truth and reaching the right conclusion. A hit series that brought laurels and critical acclaim for the lead actor Pawan Shankar.

Hotel Kingston
This was another unique show, a tender love story set against the backdrop of a hotel. The new concept introduced us to the behind-the-scenes activity of a five-star hotel that the new MD Shelly and the manager Vishwamitra Kelkar try to resurrect. A lot of characters were shown making an entry as guests and the show dealt with how love blossoms between the two main protagonists while managing the problems that keep cropping up during the functioning of a hotel. An interesting show that came to a well planned end.

Special Squad
A tad similar to CID on Sony, Special Squad solved crime-related dilemmas using forensic investigation. An interesting series, the show featured good performances by its actors. It is rumoured that Special Squad will return for its second season.

Flop Stories of the year

Ayushmaan
The show started on a promising note as it told the story of a 17-year-old doctor. But soon the story seemed too boring to sustain itself. There was a huge drop in TRPs because of the replacement of the lead actor due to an offscreen controversy. The drama then moved onto the personal life of the protagonist which made for a lacklustre tale. Eventually, the show had to be pulled off.

Tum Bin Jaoon Kahan
This serial began in a positive way with a unique tale of reincarnation and love. Made by Aruna Irani, it seemed as this would be a hit like her previous show Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand but the theme of reincarnation soon turned into the usual saas-bahu saga.

Time Bomb
The show relied on the hype of casting Rajeev Khandelwal after his much-publicised ouster from Kahiin To Hoga and also on its storyline about the 9/11 WTC disaster and Osama Bin Laden and his son being the main villains of the show. Neither the hype nor the storyline held its own and soon the show came to an end. After watching Rajeev as a romantic hero, the audiences rejected him as an action hero. Soon the director changed and Rajeev also left the show. There are rumours that the show will return and will be about a Punjabi family.

Dekho Magar Pyaar Se
Rumoured to be a take off on Sony's Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, this Star Plus show didn't hold steam for too long. The story about an obese girl later turned into the oft-repeated saas-bahu saga. There was a change in the storyline, the lead actress and even the production house, but nothing made it click with the audience.